Dave Thompson MSP

LibDem Allan MacRae, (RJ 2nd April), is at it again. Does he really want the Forth Road Bridge to be closed and not replaced, a very damaging position for the economy of the Highlands? Maybe he just doesn't understand.

The Editor
Ross-shire Journal

Dear Sir

LibDem Allan MacRae, (RJ 2nd April), is at it again. Does he really want the Forth Road Bridge to be closed and not replaced, a very damaging position for the economy of the Highlands? Maybe he just doesn't understand.

Of course, the real problem is with the funding restriction placed on the Scottish government by Westminster. They are insisting the bridge be paid for over three years instead of the normal 30 or 40 for projects of this size. Perhaps he can get his leader Nick Clegg to have a word with the Treasury but perhaps not as he now wants to slash road spending by £3 billion.

Has Mr MacRae also forgotten that the SNP government voted against the Edinburgh Trams but that his LibDems joined with Labour and the Tories to push through the £500 million spend. That money would have gone a long way towards sorting out many of our transport needs.

Mr MacRae also claims that the SNP Government has shifted Health Service resources from the Highlands which is not true, however, a new formula introduced by his very own LibDems just before they lost power will, indeed, increase spending at a greater pace in the Central belt. We now have to fight to get this LibDem  Central belt bias reversed.

As for decentralising, the SNP government decentralised from HITRANS to the Councils at the request of those very Councils. If Mr MacRae can't now get his own LibDem led Highland Council to commit to the Conon Bridge Rail Stop it is hardly the fault of the Scottish government.

Yours sincerely,

Dave

Dave Thompson MSP
Thorfin House
Bridgend Business Park
Dingwall